Goal spoke to former Real Madrid and Barcelona
players about the teams' meeting on Saturday and all the main talking
points ahead of the Clasico clash at the Bernabeu
Former Barcelona and Spain striker Julio Salinas says Cristiano Ronaldo's poor recent form is due to a "lack of motivation", while ex-Blaugrana youngster Albert Luque believes Lionel Messi will play "if he wants to" against Real Madrid on Saturday.
At an event for former Madrid and Barca players in the capital on Wednesday, Goal spoke to several of the experts and asked four key questions: Will Messi start against Madrid? What's up with Cristiano? Is Neymar the best in the world in the absence of Messi? And should James Rodriguez start for Real on Saturday?
"I don't think it's necessary [to start Messi], but he's the best player in the world and having him on the pitch is a big plus," former Madrid and Barca forward Dani Garcia Lara said.
And Luque added: "If I was Barca coach, I would sit down with Messi and ask him if he feels ready to play. Knowing what Messi is like, he has to decide if he plays or not. If he wants to play and his coach doesn't want him to, he'll end up playing."
On Ronaldo's recent form, Dani said: "He's not as much of a protagonist as usual. He's suffering and he seems a little depressed." And Salinas went even further. "He is lacking motivation," he said. "He's unhappy and I think he is showing that."
Nevertheless, former Atletico striker Milinko Pantic (who was also at the event) defended the Portuguese. "Ronaldo is never out of form," he said. "He depends on the team and it's not his fault."
Luque, who started as a youth player at Barca before emerging at Mallorca, was full of praise for Neymar, meanwhile.
"If he was at another club, he would be fighting with Messi and Ronaldo to be the best player in the world," he said.
"He's the best in the world when it comes to beating players," Dani added. And Salinas said: "Messi is the best in the world, but for the 2015 Ballon d'Or, I think Neymar has been the best this year."
Asked about James, Dani said: "He is indisputable in this Real Madrid team."
"He has something different," Pantic added. "He has something this Real Madrid team are lacking."
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